The name is derived from the Biblical Hebrew, גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri-el) meaning, “strong man of God.”

In Judeo-Christian religions, it is the name of a powerful archangel, who is often viewed as a messenger of God. He appears several times in the Old and New Testaments.

Among Christians, one of his most important messages was relayed to the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus. Islamic tradition also believes the same, and in Islam, it was the angel Gabriel who revealed the Qu’ran, (through God), to Mohammed.

In Mormon theology, Gabriel is believed to be the embodiment of Noah in the afterlife.

Gabriel is a fairly common name among Christians, Jews and Muslims, making him an extremely cross-cultural portable name.

Currently, in the United States, his popularity has been rising. He is the 24th most popular male name, (2011). In other countries, his rankings in all his various forms are as follows:

Its feminine form of Gabriella/Gabriela is also rising in popularity. Currently, Gabriellais the 34th most popular female name in the United States, (2011). Her rankings in other countries are as follows:

The name is derived from the Hebrew, חֲנוֹך Chanokh, meaning, “dedicated.”

The name appears several times in the Old Testament, the most notable bearers being a son of Cain and a father of Methuselah. The latter is one of the seven pre-Deluge Patriarchs and is considered a major figure in Islam, (in Islam he is referred to as Idris), Judaism and various Christian branches. He is attributed as being the author of the apocryphal Book of Enoch, which recounts the rise and fall of the Nephilim.

In the English-speaking world, the name came into usage after the Protestant Reformation. It was borne by American Revolutionary soldier and spy, Enoch Crosby (1750-1835), American entrepreneur and philanthropist, Enoch Pratt (1808-1896) and British politician, Enoch Powell (1912-1998).

As of 2010, its Scandinavian form of Enok was the 8th most popular male name in the Faroe Islands.

The name appears several times throughout the Bible, in the Old Testament it is the name of the husband of Ruth, traditionally believed by Christians to be a direct ancestor of Jesus. It is also the name of one of the columns in Solomon’s Temple.

The name also appears in the Book of Mormon as the name of a city in which the Nephites won a battle against the Lamanites.

As of 2010, its Scandinavian form of Boaswas the 5th most popular male name in the Faroe Islands, while its specifically Faroese relative of Bóas was the 9th most popular.

The name is borne in the Bible and in the Quran by the first woman created by God. She and her husband were expelled from the Garden of Eden after eating from the Tree of Knowledge.

The name is believed to be derived from the Hebrew roots חַוָּה, Ḥavvāh, from the Hebrew root ḥāyâ meaning “life” and the Semitic element, ḥyw “to live.” Both the Hebrew word chavah meaning “to live” and chayah meaning “to breath” share the same root.

Despite Eve’s fall from Grace in the Bible, the name was always in usage among Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities. In England, its usage can be traced back to the 12th-century. Its Latinate form of Eva, has always been a classic in continental Europe, especially in Germany, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

As of 2010, Eva was the most popular female name in the Faroe Islanda and in Slovenia. Eve, Eva and all her various forms’ rankings in other countries are as follows:

The name is derived from the Biblical Hebrew, אֱלִיָּהוּ, (Eliyyahu), meaning, “Yahweh is God.”

The name is borne in the Old Testament by an extremely important prophet who is speculated to have been alive around the 9th-century C.E.

Many miraculous occurrences were attributed to him, the most spectacular being that he could raise the dead, invoke fire from the sky and it is also believed that he ascended into heaven, (body and soul), via a chariot of fire flanked by cherubs.

He is an extremely popular figure in both Judaism and Christianity.

In the New Testament, it is believed that Elijah appeared with Moses during the Transfiguration of Christ.

Elijah has always been revered as a great saint by the Eastern Orthodox Churches, and in Russia and other Slavo-Orthodox nations, Elijah has been equated as a sort of folk character: he is responsible for bad weather if angered.

In Judaism, Elijah is invoked during the weekly Havdalah, the Passover seder and during the ritual circumcision.

In the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it is believed that Elijah visited Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1836.

Unlike other Old Testament names, Elijah has had a longer usage among Christians, going as far back as the Middle Ages. However, in Medieval England, the Middle English form of Elis, was more widely used.

In addition to the prophet Elijah, the name was also borne by at least two Catholic/Orthodox Saints.

Currently, Elijah is the 18th most popular male name in the United States, (2010). So far, this is the highest he has ranked in U.S. naming history. His rankings in other countries are as follows:

# 45 (Australia, 2010)

# 78 (Canada, B.C., 2010)

# 311 (the Netherlands, 2010)

# 427 (France, 2009)

His Hellenized counterpart of Elias, is also an up-and-comer, he is currently the # 141st most popular male name in the United States, (2010) and his rankings in other countries are as follows:

The name is found in the Old Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Qu’ran and in ancient Egyptian mythology, though the later may have a completely different etymology.

In both the Bible and the Qu’ran it is borne by the son of Adam and Eve, who was borne after the murder of Abel and the banishment of Cain. In this case, it may be derived from the Hebrew (syt) meaning “plant; seed” or it may be from another Hebrew source meaning “appointed.”

In the Book of Mormon, it is borne by the son of Lehi a Jaredite.

In Egyptian mythology it is the name of the god of chaos, the desert, foreigners and of the planet Mars. In this case, the etymology is uncertain.

Currently, Seth is the 165th most popular male name in the United States (2010) and the 217th most popular in the Netherlands, (2010).

Other forms of its Biblical counterpart include:

Shith شيث‎ (Arabic)

Şeys (Azeri)

Set Сэт (Belarusian/Finnish/German/Italian/Russian/Scandinavian/Spanish)

The name is borne in the Old Testament and in the Qu’ran by the a renowned prophet and law giver, who according to tradition was placed in a basket by his Hebrew mother and found by the daughter of Pharaoh (in Judeo-Christian religion) or the wife of Pharaoh (in Islamic tradition) and raised as an Egyptian prince. It is from this tradition that the name is believed to be derived from the Hebrew element משה (mšh) as stated in Exodus 2:10:

“[…] she called his name Moses (משה): and she said, Because I drew him (משיתהו) out of the water.” (KJV).

It has been suggested that the name is in fact of Egyptian origins, being related to the Coptic elements, mo (water) and uses (saved; delivered) hence: “saved from the water.” Another suggestion is the Egyptian element, ms (child; born) as found in such ancient Egyptian male names as Tuth-Mose and Ram-messes.

The name has always been common among Jews, Muslims and Orthodox Christians, but did not catch on in the English-speaking world until after the Protestant Reformation. Medieval Jews of England used the Middle English form of Moss.

It is currently the 509th most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

The name is found in the Book of Mormon as the name of the wife of Lehi and the mother of Laman, Lemuel, Sam, Nephi, Jacob and Joseph. It is a very common name among people of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Pronounced (suh-RYE-ah), the origin and meaning of the name is debated, but it has been agreed among LDS linguist that it may be from the Hebrew שׂריה (Śaryāh) meaning “the Lord is Prince.” Others have suggested that it may be a derivative of another Biblical name, the male Seraiah meaning “Yahweh is ruler.”

Currently, Sariah is the 656th most popular female name in the United States (2010).